Process for conserving fresh fruit treating solutions



1935. c. P. WILSON ET AL PROCESS FOR CONSERVING FRESH FRUIT TREATING SOLUTIONS Filed Aug. 19, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet l CLARENCE R M450 Poazqr 0. Mar/05w Arrazz sx N W WU MSL 1 1 l KM 2 55 #3 Aug. 6, 1935- c. P. WILSON El AL 2,010,341

PROCESS FOR CONSERVING FRESH FRUIT TREATING SOLUTIONS Filed Aug. 19, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 ma CLAFE/VCE M450 Roda/Pr P. A'owasvr -Sheet 3 Aug. 6, 1935. c. P. WILSON EI' AL PROCESS FOR CONSERVING FRESH FRUIT TREATING SOLUTIONS Reef/w 0. Mar/00v V O 0 van: on

1935. c. P. WILSON ET AL 2,010,341

PROCESS FOR CONSERVING FRESH FRUIT TREATING SOLUTIONS Filed Aug. 19, 1935 6 Sheets$heet 4 Lire roll Genus yer /Z2 Arrazyfy.

1935- c. P., WILSON ET AL 2,010,341

PROCESS FOR CONSERVING FRESH FRUIT TREATING SOLUTIONS Filed Aug. 19, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

CLARE/v6: ,4 Misc! Aoaf/rr 0. Mar/oar 9 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Aug. 6, 1935. c. P. WILSON El AL PROCESS FOR CONSERVING FRESH FRUIT TREATING SOLUTIONS Fil ed Aug. 19, 1933 Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES PROCESS FOR CONSERVING FRESH FRUIT TREATING Clarence P. Wilson,

Ontario,

SOLUTIONS and Robert D.

Nedvidek, Pomona, Calif., assignors to California Fruit Growers Exchange, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application August 19,

1 Claim.

This application is a continuation in part of our copending application for United States Letters Patent on Process for conserving fresh fruit treating solutions filed August 23, 1930, Serial No. 477,256, which was divided fro-m and copending with our application for United States Letters Patent on Recovery process for fruit treating solutions filed March 5, 1928, Serial No. 259,138, which has now been issued as United States Letters Patent No. 1,830,180.

Our invention relates to the fruit packing art, and particularly to processes therein in which the fruit is passed through one or more treating liquids.

In packing fruits for shipment, it is generally necessary to wash the fruit to render it more salable. In many cases the fruit is also passed through a liquid such as a fungicide or a deterrent to the formation of certain dangerous molds so that the fruit will remain unspoiled throughout the long journeys which much of it must make before reaching the places where it can be advantageously marketed. Such liquid treatments are particularly necessary in packing citrus fruits and, for illustrative purposes, we will describe our invention when used in connection with the packing of oranges. When ripening on the trees, oranges collect a coating of dirt, particularly on their upper halves, the removal of which dirt is the first step in packing oranges. The cleaning process includes soaking the oranges in a bath of strong soap solution and brushing off the dirt softened by this soaking in a special orange washer.

Leaving the washer, the oranges pass through a rinsing spray of fresh water and into a tank containing a liquid which retards decay of the oranges by killing or retarding the growth of any mold spores carried thereby. Examples of such liquids in general use at present for this purpose are solutions of borax and solutions of sodium bicarbonate. In fact, many fungicides might be used as decay retardants, but for convenience in disclosing the invention, this treating bath will be described as comprising a solution of borax.

In the packing process generally followed, the oranges are removed from the borax bath, rinsed by a spray of fresh water, and enter a drier in which all water is removed from the surfaces of the oranges, after which the oranges are sized, wrapped, and packed in boxes for shipment.

In the washing and boraxing steps of the packing process outlined above, the soap and borax solutions become so filled with dirt and mold spores in one or two days of continuous use that they are discarded and fresh solutions are prepared with which to continue the packing process. This frequent renewal of these solutions constitutes a considerable item of expense in the total packing costs. Moreover, unless an outfall sewer 1933, Serial No. 685,970

is available, these solutions will ultimately be discharged onto the land which will tend to become alkaline or otherwise toxic to plants and .nonproductive after a certain amount of these solutions have been absorbed thereby.

It is correspondingly an object of our invention to provide a method of applying a liquid treatment to fruit in which a treating liquid may be kept in use for a relatively long period before its renewal is required.

When the foregoing object has been attained there still remains a constant loss of treating liquid under the method in use at present. This loss is through the rinse water which rinses the fruit as it is removed from the treating liquid.

In this manner a very dilute solution of the treating liquid is formed by the rinse water which must be disposed of where the chemical therein will not be injurious to plants.

This loss in the rinse water, thus not only re- A quires the supply of treating liquid to be replenished from time to time, but'it also presents the diflicult problem of how to dispose of a liquid which is generally toxic to plants.

It is accordingly an object of our invention to conserve a body of liquid used in treating fresh fruit by minimizing losses incidental to removing fruit from the liquid.

Further objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1 and 2, taken together, comprise a fragmentary plan view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of our invention.

Figs. 3 and 4, taken together, form a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the clarifying apparatus of our invention.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the clarifier shown in Fig. 5.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4:

A liquid treating apparatus In includes a soak ing tank H, a washer [2, a borax tank l3, a clarifier l4, and a wiper l5, all of which are mounted upon a floor I6.

The soaking tank II is adapted, to contain a warm solution of soap. Mounted on the sides of the tank II is a submerger 19 which includes a slat-belt 20 rotatably mounted on long pulleys 2| and provided with transversely extending paddles 22 which extend into the soap solution in the tank H as the belt 20 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 23 at a slow rate by a suitable driving means. Connecting the intake end of a centrifugal circulating pump 25 with a manifold pipe 26 and disposed at the right-hand end of the tank II is a pipe 21. Connecting a perforated pipe 28 in the left-hand end of the tank H with the discharge end of the pump 25 is a pipe 29 having a valve 30. For a purpose to be described later a soap spray pipe 3|, having a valve 32, connects with the pipe 29. It is thus seen that when the pump 25 is operated, a flow of the soap solution in the tank II is set up in the direction of an arrow 33, in which direction and connects with the sewer pipe 39.

the paddles 22 on the lower flight of the slatbelt 20 travel beneath the surface of the soap solution in the tank I I. The current of soap solution thus set upassists in carrying any oranges dumped into the left-hand end of the tank I I so that they will be submerged and carried-by the submerger I9 to the right-hand end of the tank II, where they are allowed to rise to the surface of the soap solution. The floor of the tank II slopes to a central point therein where the tank is connected through a fitting 36, a valve 31, and a pipe 38 to a sewer pipe 39 which extends longitudinally underneath the tank I I, the washer I2, the borax tank I3 and the wiper I5. Connected to the fitting 36 for a purpose to be described later, is a pipe 40 having a valve III.

The washer I2 includes a housing 50, a bottom 5I of which is preferably formed of metal and has a left hand drain pipe 52 and a right hand drain pipe 53. The drain pipe 53 has a valve 54 Mounted in the housing 50, with their axes lying in a single horizontal plane, is a plurality of rotary brushes 55. Suitable means are provided for rotating the brushes 55 in the same direction, and thread-like formations 56, provided on the exterior of these brushes, effect a feeding action whereby oranges, placed on the brushes 55 at their left-hand ends, are rotated by the brushes 55 and fed by the threads 56 along the entire length of the brushes to the right-hand ends thereof.

With one of its ends extending into the soap solution in the tank I I, and with its opposite end disposed above the left-hand end of the rotary brushes 55, is a roll conveyer 60 which is provided with suitable mounting and rotatingmeansso that oranges carried by the submerger I9 into the right-hand end of the tank II, are conveyed by the conveyer 60 onto the lefthand end of the brushes 55.

The pipe 3 I, previously mentioned, extends upward and connects with a perforated soap solution spray pipe 6| which is disposed laterally across the left-hand end of the washer I2 so that when the valve 32 is open slightly the pump 25 will cause soap solution to be sprayed from the perforated pipe 6| onto the left-hand ends of the brushes 55. Disposed transversely across the washer I2 is a perforated rinse pipe 64 which is connected to a water main 65 so that fresh water is continually sprayed from the pipe 64 onto the brushes 55 at a short distance from the righthand end of these brushes.

Theborax tank I3 is almost identical in construction with the soaking tank II, and has a submerger 68 of the same character as the submerger I9 mounted on the sides thereof. Mounted on the floor I6, at the right-hand end of the borax tank I3, is a centrifugal pump 69, the intake end of whichis connected to a perforated pipe 10 disposed in the right-hand end of the tank I3, and the discharge end of the pump 69 is connected by a pipe II with a perforated pipe I2 disposed in the left-hand end of the borax tank I3. The pipe II has a valve 13 and is connected with a pipe I I having a valve I5, for a purpose to be described hereafter. The borax tank I3 contains a solution of borax which almost fills the tank.

Disposed between the washer I2 and the borax tank I3 is a chute or gravity conveyer I8 formed of slats, which is adapted to convey oranges, dis charged from the right-hand ends of the brushes 55, into the left-hand end of the borax tank I3.

When the valve 15 is substantially closed and the pump 69 operated, a current of borax solution is set up from left to right in the borax tank I3. As the submerger 68 rotates slowly in the direction of the arrow the blades thereof submerge and carry oranges discharged from the conveyer 18 from the left end to the right end of the tank I3.

Disposed beneath the gravity conveyer I8, and draining into the right-hand end of the washer housing bottom 5|, is a drip pan 82. The bottom of the tank I3 slopes toward a central point therein where the tank connects with a drain pipe 83 having a valve 8 3 and a fitting 86. Connected with the fitting 86, for a purpose to be described hereafter, is a pipe 81 having a valve 88.

The clarifier I9 is of a standard type, such as used for clarifying liquids of suspended matter, and includes a centrifuge 99 driven by a motor 9| and having an intake pipe 92 and an outlet pipe 93. The intake pipe 92 has a valve 95 and is connected to the discharge pipe 96 of a centrifugal pump 91. The discharge pipe 96 has a valve 98 and connects with a storage tank pipe 99 having a valve I00. The pipe 99 leads to a storage tank I 0 I.

Disposed beneath the drain pipe 52 of the washer housing bottom 5| is a collecting tank I05, which drains into a pipe I06 having a valve I0'I which connects with a pipe I08 having a valve I09 and which in turn connects with the intake end of the centrifugal pump 97.

The pipe I08 also connects with the pipe 40. I

liquid may be drawn into the intake end of the pump 91 from any one or any group of the tanks II, I3 or I05. The outlet pipe 93 of the clarifier I4 is connected through a valve II2 to a pipe I I3 which discharges into the soaking tank II, and through a valve I 4 to a pipe I I5 which discharges into the borax tank I3.

The operation of the clarifier I4 in conjunction with the soaking tank I I, the washer I2 and the borax tank I3, is as follows:

As oranges are fed through the apparatus I0, the soap solution in the tank gradually becomes filled with dirt and other matter washed from the surfaces of the oranges passing therethrough so that the action of this solution becomes considerably less effective and the solution becomes very foul smelling because of the development of putrefactive organisms necessitating, under the present practice, that this so lution be drained into the sewer at the end of one to eight days continuous operation. In our apparatus however, we provide for the clarifying of the soap solution in the tank II by the clarifier III. This may be accomplished by continuous operation of the clarifier I4, or by operating this intermittently.

In the method of continuously clarifying the soap solution, the valves 37, 88, I00, I01, and H0 are closed, while the valves 3|, I99, 95, 98 and I I2 are open. The centrifugal pump 9'I is operated and the motor 9| is energized so as to set in operation the centrifuge 99 of the clarifier I4. The pump 91 then draws soap solution from the bottom of the soaking tank II and forces this upward into the lower end of the centrifuge 99. The soap solution is clarified in the centrifuge and returned through the outlet pipe 93 and the pipe 3 into the soaking tank II. As the dirt in suspension in the soaking solution tends to settle to the bottom, the dirtiest of the soap solution is constantly drawn out of the tank II and passed through the clarifier, and the suspended dirt removed therefrom. This keeps the soap solution at all times clean and in an active state so that it is effective in removing the dirt' from the stream of oranges passing through the tank II. Bacteria, mold spores and other dead and living organisms are removed with the other dirt and sediment.

The intermittent method of clarifying the soap solution in the tank II permits the soap solution to remain in use for a period of several hours-at a time without being clarified, and then either clarifying, as indicated above, or shutting down the apparatus I9 and clarifying the entire body of soap solution in the tank I I at once. This is accomplished by having the valves 31, 88, 95, I91 and H4 closed, and the valves 4|, 98, I99, and I99 open. The pump 91 is now operated so as to draw all of the soap solution from the tank I I and force this through the discharge pipe 96 and the storage tank pipe 99 into the storage tank I9I, which is situated at an elevation above the clarifier I4. The valves 4|. I99, and 98 are now closed and the operation of the pump 91 discontinued. The valve is now opened and the clarifier I4 is set in operation. The soap solution thus passes by gravity through the-pipe 99 and the intake pipe 92 into the centrifuge 99, where it is clarified and discharged through the pipes 93 and H3 into' the soaking tank II.

While the soap solution is stored in the storage tank IM and after the valve 4| has been shut, the sewer valve 31 is opened and the tank II is cleaned out with a hose and broom or other suitable and effective means so that all the dirt and slime adhering to the inner surface of the tank passes through the pipe 38 into the pipe 39. After the tank I I is thus cleaned, the valve 31 is closed and the soap solution in the tank I9I is clarified and returned to the soaking tank II.

When operating continuously over fairly long periods of time, the continuous process of clarification is preferable, but when it is customary to shut down the apparatus I9 at noon and at night, the intermittent process may be used, the clarification being accomplished when the apparatus is normally not being operated.

The soap solution, sprayed from the manifold 9| on the left-hand ends of the brushes 55, is flung from these brushes against the inner walls of the housing 59, and drains through the pipe 52 into the collecting tank I95. From time to time, as this collecting tank fills with soap solution, the valve I91 is opened while the pump 91 is removing soap solution from the soaking tank II for its clarification. The suction of the pump 91 causes the soap solution in the tank I95 to be drawn from the pipe I96 into the pipe I99, so that the tank I95 is emptied, after which the valve I9] is again closed. The soap solution thus drawn from the tank I95 is of course clarified and returned to the soaking tank I I in the manner previously described. This soap solution may be conveniently sterilized by heat or other suitable means during its passage from the clarifier back to the soaking tank II.

By division of the floor 5| of the housing 59, so that the left-hand portion thereof may be drained separately from the right-hand portion of this floor, the drippings of strong soap solution from the brushes 55 are recovered, as above described, and the amount of soap solution which passes into the sewer with the rinse water is relatively small. In the past, all the soap solution drained from the brushes 55 has been allowed to pass into the sewer on account of the great amount of dirt contained in this solution. In the apparatus I9, however, by far the greater portion of this solution is salvaged.

As fruit leaves the washer I2 on the gravity conveyer I8, a certain amount of soap-impregnated rinse water drips from this conveyer. This water is collected upon the drip pan 82 and returned to the right-hand end of the housing floor 5| of the washer I2, from which it passes with the rest of the used rinse water into the sewer. A certain amount of soap, however, is carried by the fruit into the borax solution in the borax tank I3. This soap, together with the particles of oranges crushed in the washer I2 and delivered into the borax solution, and also mycelial growth, mold spores, bacteria, and organisms which grow in the borax solution, such as sporotrichum, cladosporium, etc., cause the borax solution to become filled with, suspended matter after a certain period of operation of the apparatus I9, so as to again cause the fruit to become dirty or to impair the effectiveness of this solution in preventing decay of the fruit passing therethrough which, of course, is the primary purpose of the borax treatment. It is, therefore, the purpose of our invention to utilize the clarifier I4 to clarify the borax solution in the tank I3 in a manner similar to that used in clarifying the solution in the soaking tank II, so that the borax solution may be continued in use over a practically indefinite period of time, thereby eliminating the necessity of discarding the borax solution after two or three days, thus avoiding the danger to vegetation and saving the cost of renewing the borax solution at such frequent intervals.

The clarification of the borax solution may also be accomplished by either continuous or intermittent operation of the clarifier I4. To continuously clarify the borax solution, the valves 84, I99, I99 and H2 are closed, and valves 88, 98, 95 and 4 are opened. The pump 91 and the clarifier 14 are now set in operation and the borax solution is drawn from the tank I3 through the pipe 81 and discharged through the pipes 96 and 92 into the centrifuge 99 and, after being clarified in the centrifuge, is returned through the pipes 93 and 5 into the borax tank I3. Obviously, however, the soap solution in the soaking tank I and the borax solution in tank I3 cannot both be continuously clarified by the clarifier I4, and in case it is more desirable to clarify the soap solution continuously during the operation of the apparatus I9, the borax solution will be clarified intermittently, while the apparatus I9 is shut down in the following manner:

The valves 84, I99, 95 and I I2 will be closed and the valves 88, 98, and I99 opened. The pump 91 is now set in operation so as to draw the borax solution from the tank I3 and force this into the storage tank I9I. This being completed, the valves 88 and 98 are closed and the operation of the pump 91 discontinued. The valves 95 and I I4 are now opened and the clarifier I4 set in operstorage tank I M clarified and returned to the tank I 3. While the boraxsolution is stored in the tank IOI, the valve 84 would of course be opened and the tank I3 cleaned out in a similar manner as previously mentioned regarding the soaking tank II, after which the valve 84 would again be closed so that the tank I3 would be ready to receive the clarified borax solution.

\ The economy effected by the clarifying of the treating solutions in the apparatus I0 results in a considerable reduction of the total cost of packing fruit. Moreover, owing to the fact that the sewage from the packing house is nearly all discharged onto land and that soap and borax have a decidedly detrimental effect upon the fertility of soil, our invention also saves the land upon which the sewage is run from being ultimatelymade barren by the accumulation of soap and borax thereon.

In the present practice of packing oranges, the oranges are removed from the borax tank I3 and without the oranges being given more than a very short time for draining the borax solution therefrom, they are passed under a fresh water rinse spray, and used rinse carrying the borax solution is washed from the oranges and discarded. We

have discovered that the loss of borax solution from this source amounts to a considerable item of expense and is a source of injury to the land upon which the discarded solution is deposited, as previously mentioned. The loss of borax solution from this source is eliminated in our apparatus I0 by the fruit wiper I5.

This wiper includes a pair of superimposed horizontal upper and lower frames I20 and I2I which are supported upon standards I22 resting upon the floor I6. Mounted on the lower frame I2I is a live roller conveyer I25 the upper flight of which moves from left to right, as shown in Fig. 4. The conveyer I25 is shown as horizontal, but may be inclined so as to elevate the fruit conveyed thereon. Opposite ends of the rollers in the upper flight. of the conveyer I25 travel on tracks which rotate these rollers and thus cause the rotation of any fruit carried thereon. Mount ed on the standards I22, beneath the conveyer I25 and sloping to the left so that the left-hand edge thereof is disposed over the right-hand end of the borax tank I3, is a drip pan I26. It is desired to point out here that the conveyer I25 and drip pan I26 are of considerable length, as this is a feature of importance in the operation of th wiper I5.

Mounted between the left-hand end of the frame I2 I, and upon the walls of the borax tank I3 so as to extend into the right-hand end of the latter, is an inclined endless belt elevator I28, which is provided with suitable operating mechanism so as to raise oranges from the right-hand end of the borax tank I3 and deposit these upon the left-hand end of the live roller conveyer I25. Mounted on the right-hand end of the elevator I28 is a bridge I30 so arranged that upon it the oranges run from the highest point of the elevator I28 onto the conveyer I25. I

Slidably mounted on the left-hand end of the upper horizontal frame I 20. is a pair of duplex bearings I which are yieldably urged leftward by spring mechanisms I36. Rotatably journalled in the bearings I35 are wringer rollers I31 and I38 which constitute a wringer I39. Slidably mounted on the right-hand end of the upper horizontal frame I20 is a pair of single bearings I which are manually adjustable by the opera- 2,010,341 'ation so that the borax solution is drawn from the tion of screw-crank mechanisms I H. Rotatably journalled in the bearings I40 is a belt pulley I 42. Extending around the pulley I42 and the roller I3! is a wiper belt I43, having wiper towels I44 secured by one edge thereto. A belt tightening roller I45 is mounted on arms I46 which are pivotally connected with the upper frame I20 so that the weight of the roller I45 rests downward on the belt I43. Suitable means, not shown, is provided for driving the belt pulley I42 so as to rotate the belt I43 in the direction of arrow I48 and cause the towels I44 to be dragged from right to left over fruit carried from left to right on the upper flight on the live roller conveyer I25. In a manner well known in the art, the fruit carried on the live roller conveyer I25 is rotated in the opposite direction to that in which the rollers of this conveyer are rotated. Thus, the entire surfaces of the oranges carried on the conveyer I25 are subjected to the wiping action of the towels I44.

The distance between the rollers I37 and I38 is shown in the diagrammatic illustration of Fig. 4 as fixed, but'it is to be understood that according to the practice in the art, these rollers may be adjustable relative to each other so that any desired pressure may be brought to bear upon the towels I44 in the wringer I39.

The pipe 74, previously mentioned, extends upward beyond the valve 15 and is provided with a nozzle I50 whichis adapted to direct a spray of borax solution upon the towels I44 just before these pass through the wringer I39. This is accomplished by leaving the valve I5 slightly open during the operation of the borax solution circulating pump 69. Disposed above the conveyer I28 and below the upper end of the nozzle I50 is a drip pan I52, the right-hand edge of which has a roller I53 over which the towels I44 pass, and the left-hand edge of which is provided with a drain spout I54 which discharges any liquid, dripping into the pan I 52 from the towels I44, into the right-hand end of the tank I3.

The belt I43 moves at a fairly slow rate so that there is a considerable evaporation of water therefrom and a tendency thus to concentrate any borax solution carried by the towels I44. This concentration would eventually result incrystallization of borax from the solution if this solution were not diluted by the spray from the nozzle I50 which practically fills the towels I44 with borax solution of normal strength. The borax wiped from the oranges is thus diluted and, when wrung from the towels by the wringer I39, drips onto the drip pan I52 and is returned by the spout I54 to the borax tank I3.

It is to be understood, however, that when a sufficient amount of water evaporates from the towels I44 to make it possible, the nozzle I50 may be connected with the fresh water main so that fresh water is sprayed upon the towels instead'of a solution of borax. In case this is done, the towels I44 will be practically free of borax when they first contact the oranges on the right end of the conveyer I25.

This results in the fruit discharged from the right-hand end of the conveyor I25 being not only practically dry, but almost entirely free from borax which, as previously mentioned, causes white spots on the oranges where the borax solution is allowed to dry on the oranges. It is also desired to point out that this is accomplished with a very small loss of borax solution.

In case it is desired, the extremely small.

these leave the wiper I5 may--be removed by a suitable dry brush polisher, several types of which are well known in the art.

From the above description of the apparatus I and its operation, it will be seen that we have produced a method of and apparatus for applying a liquid treatment to fruit in which the treating liquid is applied with a marked economy in comparison with similar methods in general use at present.

The utilization of apparatus having brushing rolls and also of apparatus having toweling wipers is not broadly new in this art. For exam-e ple, U. 8. Patent No. 1,194,538 issued August 15, 1916 to George D. Parker discloses a wiper which in some respects is similar to the wiper disclosed in the present application. The process which forms the invention of the present application is not disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,194,538, however. It is clear that in that patent the moisture removed from the towels by the wringing rollers is to be discarded.

U. S. Patents 1,529,461 issued March 10, 1925 to Brogden, and 1,671,923 issued May 29, 1928 to Brogden,.and 1,696,704 issued December 25, 1928 to Zellner, all disclose apparatus useful for the treatment of citrus fruits and having brushing rollers. These patents, however, do not disclose the present invention. While the action-of these rotary brushes may serve to disturb the film of treating solution adhering to the fruit, and perhaps remove some small portion of it, they do not serve substantially to dry mechanically the fruit being handled.

While we have shown but a single type of wiper I5, it is to be understood that any suitable mechanical device for accomplishing substantially the same results might be used in place of the wiper I5.

Referring now to Figs. and 6, a filtering apparatus I65 is shown which may be used for clarifying the borax solution in the borax tank I3 when an inexpensive clarifying apparatus is desired and when clarification of a soap solution is not necessary.

The filtering apparatus I65 includes a filtering tank I66 having an upper port I61 and a lower port I68, as well as a drain pipe provided in the bottom thereof, attached to valve I69. The port I61 connects through a fitting I with a pipe I1I having a valve I12, the pipe I1I extending downward and connecting with the sewer pipe 39. The upper port I61 also connects with a pipe I having a valve I16. The port I68 connects through a fitting I18 to a pipe I19 having a valve I80. The pipe IQ connects with the pipe "I through a fitting I8 I. with a pipe I82 which has a valve I83 and which extends downward and then transversely so that the lower end discharges over the borax tank I3. The fresh water main 65 is connected through suitable piping with the fittings I10 and I18 through valves I84 and I85 respectively, for a purpose to be described hereinafter. A centrifugal circulating pump I86 is provided, the intake end of which is connected to a pipe I81 which has a valve I88 and which connects with the drain fitting 86 of the borax tank I3. Also connecting with the intake end of the pump I86 is a pipe I89 which has a valve I90 and which connects with the bottom of a reserve tank I9I. Connecting with the discharge end of the pump I86 is a pipe I92, having a check valve I93 connecting through a fitting I94 with the pipe I15 and also with a pipe I96 having a valve I91 and The port I68 also connects discharging downward into the upper end of the reserve tank I9I.

The filtering tank I 66 is filled with strata of sand of varying degrees of coarseness, or with any other suitable solid filtering material, many of which are well known in the art. The clarification of a liquid accomplished by the filtering apparatus. I65 is due to retention of suspended matter from the liquid to be filtered by the strata of sand in the tank I66.

The apparatus I65 may be utilized continuously or intermittently to clarify the borax solution in the tank I3 in a similar manneras previously described for the clarifier I4.

When the apparatus I65 is continuously 0perated, the valves 84, I90, I91, I12, I84, I85, I80 and I69 are closed and the Valves I 88, I16, and I83 are opened. The centrifugal pump I86 is now set in motion so as to draw borax solution from the bottom of the tank I3 and discharge this upward through the pipe I92, the check valve I93, the pipe I15, and valve. I16into the upper port I61 of the filtering tank I66. The borax solution thus discharged into the upper end of the tank I66 filters downward through the various strata therein and isdischarged through the lower port I68 from which it passes through the pipe I82 back to the borax tank I3. The filtering of the borax solution may be continued in this manner until the solution discharged from the pipe I82 indicates that the interstices of the sand in the tank I66 have become filled with matter removed from the solution, and that the sand has therefore ceased to completely clarify the solution. When this happens, the pump I86 is shut down, and the borax solution present in the filter tank I66 is allowed by gravity, this solution flowing through the lower port I68 and the pipe I82 into the borax tank I3. The valves I88, I16, and I83 are now shut, and the valves I85 and I12 opened. This admits fresh water under pressure from the fresh water main 65 through the valve I85 and the fitting I18 into the lower end of the filtering tank I66. This fresh water travels upward through the sand strata in the tank I66 and out through the upper port I61, from which it flows through the valve I12 and pipe I1I into the sewer pipe 39. This flushing action is termed back-washing and is continued until the sand in the tank is cleaned, after which the continuous solution is taken up again as previously described.

The intermittent clarification of the borax solution by the apparatus I65 is started with the valves I12, I84, I85, I80, I69,- 84, I16 and I90 closed, and with the valves I88, I91, and I83 opened. The pump I86 is now set in operation so that the borax solution is drawn from the bottom of the tank I3 and forced upward through the pipes I92 and I96 into the reserve tank I9I. When the tank I3 is empty, the valves I88 and I91 are closed, and the valves I90 and I16 are opened. At this'time, the valve 84 is temporarily opened to permit the cleaning of the tank I3, as previously described, .after which this valve is closed. The pump I86 is again set in operation so as to draw borax solution from the reserve tank I9I through the pipe I89 and discharge it upwardly through the pipes I92 and I15 into the upper end of the sand filter I66. The borax solution, filtered by its downward passage through the sand in the tank I66, is discharged through the lower port I68 and the pipe I82 into the borax tank I 3.

to drain out of the sand I filtration of the borax- In the apparatus I65, the reserve tank may be at any desired level as the solution is transferred to and from the reserve tank by the operation of the pump I86. The filtering apparatus I is preferably used only for clarifying the borax solution because this type of filter in its present development is not successful in clarifying soap solutions. 7

The economies effected by the above described method and apparatus are evident in the following comparison of the amounts of boron compounds used in a packing house before and after the use of such method and apparatus was commenced in this house. The packing house in which the test was conducted handled 388,717 field boxes of oranges in one year.

Before installation of treating liquid conserving apparatus Pounds of Percent of boron total boron compounds compounds Borax treating tank-discarded 4 times yearly 1, 328 3.67

Borax added to soap soaking tank to prevent putrefaction-discarded 32 times Pounds of Percent of boron total boron compounds compounds Borax added to soap soaking tank None Borax treating tank None Rinse water None Drip from conveyer None Cleaning tanks and fruit wiper.. 524

Total borax discarded 524 Carried out on treated fruit.-- 2, 579 Total borax saved per year 33, 056

Total 36, 159

We claim as our invention:

In the preparation of fresh fruit for the market, a process which consists in washing the fruit in a body of treating solution, removing the fruit from said body, and thereafter substantially drying said fruit by contacting the fruit with absorptive material and thereby mechanically removing therefrom by capillary action the film of solution adhering to said fruit without reducing the strength of said solution in said film, and returning to said body the solution thus removed, whereby dilution of the said body of treating solution is prevented and the necessity of discarding any treating solution removed from the fruit is avoided.

CLARENCE P. WILSON. ROBERT D. NEDVIDEK. 

